Cloud Computing Intermediate

What is Cloud Function?

A serverless compute service that runs code in response to events without requiring server management or infrastructure provisioning.

Cloud functions execute small pieces of code (functions) in response to triggers like HTTP requests, database changes, file uploads, or scheduled timers. Major implementations include AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions, and Azure Functions. Functions are stateless, scale automatically from zero to thousands of instances, and charge only for actual execution time (measured in milliseconds). They are ideal for event processing, API backends, data transformations, and automation tasks. Limitations include cold start latency, execution time limits (typically 5-15 minutes), and complexity in managing many interconnected functions.

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Related Terms

S3 (Simple Storage Service)

An AWS object storage service that stores and retrieves any amount of data from anywhere on the web.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Google's suite of cloud computing services running on the same infrastructure that Google uses for its consumer products.

SLA (Service Level Agreement)

A formal agreement between a service provider and customer defining guaranteed levels of service availability and performance.

Cloud Load Balancer

A managed service that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers to ensure high availability and optimal resource utilization.

Discounted cloud compute instances that use spare capacity at significantly lower prices but can be interrupted with short notice.

Serverless Computing

A cloud execution model where the provider manages servers and dynamically allocates resources, charging only for actual usage.

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